Over $1 Million Dollar Sale from Flickr

October 12, 2010|In Advertising, Business|By Kyle Lacy

Did I get your attention?

I was at a recent chamber of commerce speed meeting – you know, where you sit across from another member and give your one-minute, thirty-second elevator pitch. Well… I didn’t want to talk about TKO Graphix (www.tkographix.com). I wanted to talk about social media. So I said, “TKO – we do large format graphics, vehicle wraps, banners, signs and – by the way – what are you doing with social media?” You already know what I heard: “What is social media?” “Nothing, it doesn’t work!” “I’m not big enough,” “It takes too much time,” and, “I don’t know what to do.” (We offered to help.) I also heard, “I’m dropping everything and only doing Facebook!”

How Did We Secure A 6000 Vehicle Contract (Over $1 million sale)?

TKO Graphix social media strategist, Josh Humble, published photos of our work on Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/tkographix/). Jeff Moore of Moore and More Print (http://www.mamprint.com/blog.html), in St. Louis, saw our photos. Josh and Jeff reached out to each other, and continued to correspond and socialize within the network. One of our national account representatives, Glenn Burris, drove to St. Louis and visited Jeff. They had lunch and talked about how we could help each other. They were socializing face-to-face. Jeff was contacted by an advertising agency that needed a large format graphics company with traveling installation crews. Jeff recommended his friends at TKO, and the ad agency contacted TKO. Glenn and Tom Taulman II, TKO’s President, traveled to St. Louis and gave a big-ass presentation (BAP) to a big national company that shall remain nameless. Glenn and Tom met with the BIG company again. TKO provided a proposal and was awarded the contract.

We are currently re-branding 6000 vehicles at 221 locations in North America. We’re manufacturing the decals and wraps, de-identifying the vehicles, and installing the new graphics. This… is… a…game… changer.

The Answer? A Multi-Faceted Marketing Plan

Now, let me tie back to the first paragraph. Social media DOES work, but it should be part of your marketing plan, not just a plan in of itself.

  • Social Media – Josh publishes TKO’s photos on Flickr and manages the account.
  • Social Networking – Josh and Jeff correspond via the network.
  • Traditional Networking – Glenn and Jeff meet over lunch.
  • Friendship Networking  – Jeff recommends TKO to the ad agency.
  • Sales Presentation – Glenn and Tom give a presentation to the BIG company.

Without a combined marketing effort and plan, TKO would not have been awarded this contact. So… when someone tells you it doesn’t work, tell ‘em about our 6000 vehicle contract (unless it’s our competitors, then tell ‘em it doesn’t work). When someone says I’m only doing social marketing, and dropping everything else, you may caution him or her not to quit everything they have been doing.

The Call To Action – Let’s Help Each Other.
What SM successes can you share? Let’s gather ammunition we can all use when faced with non-believers. Tell us your story. Be an advocate. Share. #SMworks

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Randy Clark is the Director of Communications at TKO Graphix, where he blogs for TKO Graphix Brandwire. Prior to TKO, he spent 13 years with Unique Home Solutions as Marketing Director and VP of Operations. He is an avid flower gardener, beer geek, and he fronts the Under the Radar rock & roll band http://bit.ly/9mJ59m

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